Weft-thread-controlled electrically-actuated auxiliary mechanism for looms.



C. D. LANNING.

WEFT THREAD CONTROLLED ELECTRICALLY ACTUATED AUXILIARY MECHANISM FOR LOOM S.

APPLICATION FILED IAN-13, |906- RENEWED AUG. 2, I917- 1,301,280, Patented Apr. 22,1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

' u; flwzm MQWEZWWQ C. D. LANNING. WEFT THRE D ELECTRICALLY ACTUATED AUXIILIARY 0R LOOMS.

ION nuzo JAN. 1a, 1906. RENEWED AUG. 2.1

-SHEET 2.

CHARLES n. LANNING, or'zeos'ron, MASSACHUSETTS.

WEFT-TI-IREAD-CONTROLLED ELEdTRIGALLY- AGTUATED AUXILIARY MECHANISM FOR LOOMS. I

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 22,1919.

Application filed January 13, 1906, Serial No. 295,837. Renewed August 2, 1917. Serial No. 184,176.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, OHARLEs D. LANNING, a citizen of the United States of America,

residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Weft=Thread-Controlled Electrically-Actupresence of the weft-thread, and is pervmitted bythe absence thereof.

In this arrangement where sets of contact terminals are provided upon both sides of the loom and independently connected together .by a normally open section of conductor, and all .theterminals of one polarity are upon one side of'the loom and arecon- :nected withone of the main conductors, and

all the terminals ofthe other polarity are upon the otherside of the loom and are connected with the other main conductor, the circuit cannot be closed unless contact is made with one of each set of terminals upon each side of the loom simultaneously, for the reason that itmust be closed through the normally open section of the conductor which connects the additional set of contacts.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan view of a portion of the breastbeam, on which the feelers or weft-forks are supported, as shown, one at each end and a portion of the lathe upon which the terminals of the electric circuit are secured, portions of the woven fabric are also shown; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a loom-frame with a portion of the mechanism involved in the operation of the improvements hereinafter described; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the electric terminals, here shown as secured behind-the perpendicular rods which form the grid for the weft-fork in the customary construction of looms, and a weftthread in frontof the grid; Fig. 4: is a side elevation of the partsshown in Fig. 3 with a feeler in position as it approaches the terminals; Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic illustration of the-electric circuit including two sets of terminals of opposite polarity, and

the cooperating additional set of contacts independently connected, as they may be arranged at each side of a loom, with all those of one polarity connected to one conductor of the circuit, and those of the other polarity on'the other side of the loom connected with the other conductor, and the electro-magnet with the connected devices to release the shipper,'and the switch operated by the magnet to close a short circuit through the magnet and generator.

Referring to the drawings and describing the specific embodiment of the invention therein illustrated, A designates the loomframe, B the breast-beam, L the lathe, 7" the feeler, in this instance the weft-fork, t t the electric terminals, here shown as arranged in pairs of opposite polarity, M the .main magnet which together with the terminals t t are in the circuit C which also includes the electric generator G; r is a lever pivoted to the frame at 1" and its long arm to the armature or core of the magnet M at m. The short arm of the lever r is arranged in a position to push the ship per-lever S from its retaining notch, when the magnet pulls upon the long end of the lever r. d is one of the gears by which the take-up mechanism is operated, and e a ratchet gear in the same train which is prevented from retrograde movement while engaged by the retaining pawl p. h are per Dendicular rods which form a grid in front of the'ends of the terminals t t, and when employed assist the weft-thread g in guard-.

ing the terminals from contact by the circuit closer, such as the feeler f, best seen in Figs. 3 and 4.

Referring to Fig. 5, s is a switch operated bythe magnet M, and the operation of which switches in ashort circuit 0 through the generator and magnet, by the contact of the switch arm with the terminals 0 c The operation of the improvements is as follows :Referring first to the diagram Fig. 5, in such figure, all the terminals of one polarity are upon one side of the loom and are connected with one .of the main conductors, and all the terminals of the other polarity are upon the other side of of the loom simultaneously. If the weftthread is not properly placed in front of the terminals 2? upon one side or the other of the loom and between them and a feeler f, when the loom is in operation, a feeler 7" will be brought into contact with the terminals upon both sides and close the circult G through the open section 0 magnet M, spring contact w and shipper-lever S, th1s will energize the magnet and cause 1t to operate the switch-lever 8, one end of which will be drawn toward the core of the magnet and the other end will be thrown into contact with the terminals 0 0 thereby closing the short circuit 0, and sending an increased current from the generator through the magnet M, which will cause it to operate the lever 1", thus releasing the shipper-lever S and stopping the loom.

.In this arrangement of terminals, the circuit closer will make contact therewith, upon the side opposite to that in which the shuttle is boxed, at each pick, since no Weft thread i is interposed at that side of the loom, and

by this frequent friction of the circuit closer upon the terminals, their contact surfaces will be kept clean and free from lint and dust, and as it is necessary for a feeler to make contact with terminals upon both sides of the loom simultaneously, in order to close the circuit, no alternate feeler controlling mechanism is needed. By the provision of a circuit closer, which in the present embodiment of the invention is a weft fork which makes contact with terminals, the break in the circuit at said terminals is plugged by the weft fork. This insures an eflective closing of the circuit.

The weft-thread controlled mechanism illustrated in Fig. 5, instead of being used to operate loom stopping mechanism, maybe employed to actuate filling supply mechanism, the armature of the magnet M being employed to put such supply mechanism into operation.

I claim:

1. I11 a loom, weft-thread controlled electrically actuated auxiliary mechanism, consisting of an electric circuit having therein an electro-magnet and armature therefor and spaced terminal pieces of opposite polarity and circuit closing means secured to the loom structure, which spaced terminal pieces. are adapted normally to be guarded by the weft-thread from the circuit closing means" which is adapted to enter between and to plug said terminal pieces to close the circuit, when the terminals are unguarded by the weft-thread means to reciprocate the circuit closing means and the spaced terminal pieces one in relation to the other thereby to position the circuit closing means between said spaced terminal pieces and to put them into electrical contact when the weft-thread is not interposed, and thereby close the circuit the weft-thread, from contact by, a circuit closer, fork or feelermeans secured to the loom structure and adapted to act as circuit closing means with said terminals when a weft-thread is not interposed, means to reciprocate the feeler means and terminals one in relation to the other and to position the' fork or feeler means between said spaced terminals to close the circuit and operate the armature of the magnet.

8. In a loom, weft-thread controlled electrically actuated auxiliary mechanism, consisting of an electric circuit having therein an electro-magnet and armature therefor and terminals of opposite polarity respectively secured to'the loom structure, upon opposite sides of the web fabric, contact pieces upon each side of the loom, which are directly coimected together and in conjunction with said terminals serve'to complete the electric circuit in cooperation with a circuit-closer, all of which terminals and con tact pieces are adapted normally to be guarded by the weft-thread, from contact by a circuit closer; a fork or feelersupported upon the loom structure upon'each side of the web of fabric and each feeler serving as a circuit closer with the terminals and Contact pieces upon that side, means rela tively to reciprocate the feelers and opposed terminals with their contact pieces,and to put them into electrical contact to'close the circuit and operate the armature of themagnet when a weft-thread is not interposed 'upon either side of the loom.

4. In a loom, weft-threadcontrolled, electrically actuated stop-mechanism, consisting of an electric circuit with an electro-magnet and terminals of opposite polarity in the circuit, tilting fork or feeler means adapted to act as a circuit closer with said terminals, but normally held from such action by the Weft-thread, means relatively to reciprocate the feeler means and terminals to put them into electrical contact when the weft-thread is not interposed, thereby closing said circuit and causing the magnet to operate the stopmechanism. ,7

5. In a loom, weft-thread controlled, electrically actuated stop-mechanism, consisting of an electric circuit having an electro-ma'gnet and terminals of opposite polarity there- 1n, means in proximity to the terminals to assist the weft-threads to guard the terminals from contact by a circuit closer, feeler means upon the loom structure which acts as a [circuit closing .means with said termiinalssbutnormally held from such action by the weft-thread, means to bring the feeler Rmeans and )tQI-HlillitlS .into electrical contact a. when thevweft-thread is not iin guarding position, .and'mechanism which is operated by said magnetto stop the loom when the circuit isclosed. l

6. In a loom provided with weft-fork lmeansandtopposedigrid upon the structure, .weft-thread controlled electrically actuated -stop mechanism, comprising shipper mecha- '.nism, anelectric circuit, spaced contact terminals of opposite :polarity therein, located back of one or more of theopenings in the grid, means to plug the terminals .by the weft-fork .means to close the circuit when the weft-thread is not in position to guard the grid openings, and an electrmmagnet in the circuit operatively connected with said shipper mechanism, whereby ,the latter is operated when the circuit is closed.

"7. In a loom, provided with a grid upon the lathe and weft-fork means on the loom structure, electrical weft-stop mechanism consisting of electrical spaced contact terminals of opposite polarity to be plugged by the weft-fork means, back of the openings in the grid, a magnet and armature therefor, means connected with the armature which act directly to release the shipper when the armature is operated, and an electric circuit which includes the magnet and contact terminal in series.-

8. In a loom, having shipper mechanism, weft-fork means, and grid upon the lathe, electrical weft-stop mechanism consisting of electrical spring contact terminals of opposite polarity adapted to be engaged by the.

weft-fork means and located back of the grid and coincident with the openings therein, a magnet and armature therefor, means connected with the armature which act to release the shipper when the armature is operated, and an electric circuit which includes the magnet and the contact terminals, which circuit is closed at said terminals when the weft-fork means passes through the grid.

9. In a loom, having weft-fork means, and opposed grid upon the lathe, electrical weft-stop mechanism consisting of one or more pairs of parallel electrical spring terminals behind the grid, the two terminals of each pair being of opposite polarity and the space intervening between them being coincident with an opening in the grid; a magnet and armature therefor; means connected with the armature which act to release the shipper when the armature is operated, an electric circuit which includes the mag net and each pair of terminals, which circuit is closed when the weft-fork means passes between the terminals, and a short circuit through the magnet and generator which is closed by the operation of that -magnet, due to the current in the circuit established by'the contact of the weft-fork means with the terminals.

10. In a loom, weft thread controlled welectrlcally actuated mechanism consisting of anielectric circuit having therein an electr0-magnet,-an armature therefor, terminal pieces of opposite polarity and circuit closing means, said terminal pieces being guarded normally :by the weft thread from contact by the circuit closing" means, said magnet to operate its armature. I

:1. In a loom, weft-thread controlled, electrlcally actuated, auxiliary mechanlsm consisting of an electric circuit havingtherein an electro-magnet and armature therefor and terminal pieces of opposite polarity secured to the loom structure, which terminals are adapted normally to be guarded by the weft-thread, from contact by a circuit closing means, fork or feeler means secured to the loom structure and adapted to act as circuit closing means with said terminals when a weft-thread is not interposed, means to reciprocate the feeler means and terminals one in relation to the other and to put them into electrical contact to close the circuit and operate the armature of the magnet.

12. In a loom in combination, weft thread controlled, electrically actuated stop mechanism comprising an electric circuit with an electro-magnet and terminals of opposite polarity in the circuit, tilting fork or feeler means adapted to act as circuit closing means with said terminals but normally held from such action by the weft thread, and means relatively to reciprocate said feeler means and terminals, to plug the terminals and put them in electrical contact when the weft thread is not interposed, thereby closing said circuit and causing the magnet to operate the stop mechanism.

13. In a loom, thread controlled electri cally actuated mechanism consisting of an electric circuit, terminal pieces of opposite polarity and circuit closing means, adapted to penetrate between said terminals so as to contactingly plug them said terminal pieces being guarded normally by the thread from contact by circuit closing means, said circuit closing means acting by said penetrating action to plug said terminal pieces to close the circuit when the terminals are unguarded, and means relatively to move the circuit closer and the terminal pieces, thereby to plug the latter to close the circuit.

14:. Textile mechanism comprising in combination electrically actuated mechanism pieces of opposite polarity-and circuit closing means, adapted to penetrate between said terminals so as to contactingly plug them said terminal pieces being normally guarded from contact by the circuit closing means, said circuit closing means acting by said penetration to plug said .terminal pieces to close the circuit when the terminals are unguarded, and means relatively to move the circuit closer and the terminal pieces, thereby to plug the latter to close the circuit.

15. In a loom, weft thread controlled electrically actuated auxiliary mechanism, con sisting of an electric circuit having therein an electro-magnet and armature therefor and terminals of opposite polarity secured to the loom structure uponboth sides of the web of fabric, with all the terminals of one Copies of this patent may be obtained for feeler serving to act as a circuit closer with terminals upon that side; mechanism relatively to reciprocate the feelers and opposed terminals to put them into electrical contact to close the circuit when a weft thread is not interposed upon either side of the loom.

CHARLES n. LANNING.

Witnesses: y

REUBEN L. ROBERTS, FLonnNon A. COLLINS.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). 0. 

